Tips for Private Instrument Teachers

sinfonian · Post by **sinfonian** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:27 am

Is one expected to tip their child's private instrument teacher that you already pay $20 a week for?

sinfonian · Post by **sinfonian** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:51 pm

I was refering to a Christmas tip.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:00 pm

1) $20 per lesson is low. Around here lessons usually go for $30 for a half-hour and $50 for an hour.

2) A tip or nice gift would be thoughtful. I think 10 - 20% of what you paid the teacher for the year would be appropriate. You can enclose the money in a holiday card with a hand-written "Thank you for teaching my child" note.

3) #2 above assumes that you think the teacher has been doing a good job. If the teacher has not, your child should no longer be taking lessons from the teacher.

Mark "not the Letticia Baldridge ot tubadom" Wiseman

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:21 pm

Hey, if it's a tuba teacher, a cheap case of beer will do just fine!

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:27 pm

My Mom always sent my piano teacher a small goody tray with a can of nuts with a bow on top on my last lesson before Christmas.

Casey Tucker · Post by **Casey Tucker** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:27 pm

i wouldn't go as far as a tip. i WOULD give a thoughtful gift. i consider a 6 pack of ziggenbach (sp? i just drink it) a thoughtful gift. and i wouldn't remove the child if there aren't results. could be the child isn't practicing. so in any case, a small gift should do fine. happy christmas!

-casey

euphoniumist · Post by **euphoniumist** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:51 pm

I usually get a few things like cookies, and gift cards from students for Christmas, usually the better students, that practice, but I dont really expect them to give me something.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:34 pm

Doc wrote:
iiipopes wrote:My Mom always sent my piano teacher a small goody tray with a can of nuts with a bow on top on my last lesson before Christmas.
Aaaaahhh...just want one needs to get blown into the leadpipe and first valve.

Don't you just hate it when, at a rehearal, there is a viola player in front of you eating a Snickers bar?

Doc wrote:$30-40 per hour? Where the hell do you guys teach? Sounds like I need to quit my day job.

In the Seattle area (northwest Texas) the going rate is $50 per hour.

djwesp · Post by **djwesp** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:00 pm

sinfonian wrote:Is one expected to tip their child's private instrument teacher that you already pay $20 a week for?

Trying to get back to the original post.

Be nice, be friendly, bring the teacher candy occaisionally.

HOWEVER, I think tipping for a private lesson is tacky. You should assume each time that the person is giving you 100% of their teaching ability, assume that you are paying a competative price for your lesson (people only charge as much as people will pay), and generally if you tip one time and not the next this would make me wonder what I had done wrong in the lesson or what the special occaision was.

If a student tries to tip me I tell them to keep it. Bring me a diet pepsi sometime and we will be even. As far as christmas goes, I'm too much of a Grinch to want a christmas bonus. A really good tip for me is one of my students making all-region, all-state, or winning a competition. This brings me a bigger return monetarily and spirit-wise than a tip EVER COULD.

bigboymusic · Post by **bigboymusic** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:10 pm

Actually, I have two students parents that buy me a case of Boulavard (KC Beer) every X-mas. I have NO problem with this.

And they also have made disticts and State! Double Bonus....Now I want the students with gift certificates for BBQ and pizza and I'll be a fat and happy cat.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:11 pm

Mark wrote:
Doc wrote:
iiipopes wrote:My Mom always sent my piano teacher a small goody tray with a can of nuts with a bow on top on my last lesson before Christmas.
Aaaaahhh...just want one needs to get blown into the leadpipe and first valve.
Don't you just hate it when, at a rehearal, there is a viola player in front of you eating a Snickers bar?

Doc wrote:$30-40 per hour? Where the hell do you guys teach? Sounds like I need to quit my day job.
In the Seattle area (northwest Texas) the going rate is $50 per hour.

Remember, I said piano teacher!

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:53 pm

iiipopes wrote:
Mark wrote:
Doc wrote: Aaaaahhh...just want one needs to get blown into the leadpipe and first valve.
Don't you just hate it when, at a rehearal, there is a viola player in front of you eating a Snickers bar?

Doc wrote:$30-40 per hour? Where the hell do you guys teach? Sounds like I need to quit my day job.
In the Seattle area (northwest Texas) the going rate is $50 per hour.
Remember, I said piano teacher!

You are right! I guess Doc and I do not have World Class reading comprehension.

Stefan Kac · Post by **Stefan Kac** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:26 pm

One of my student's parents did add a tip to the last lesson check. Not required by any means, but appreciated, and certainly not viewed as petty, at least by me. It's the thought that counts, right?

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:00 pm

It must a cultural thing. A number of my wife's flute students are Korean and she seems to be bringing home little gifts or flowers. No money tips, but she feels appreciated.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 11:28 pm

Mark wrote:
iiipopes wrote:
Mark wrote: Don't you just hate it when, at a rehearal, there is a viola player in front of you eating a Snickers bar?
In the Seattle area (northwest Texas) the going rate is $50 per hour.
Remember, I said piano teacher!
You are right! I guess Doc and I do not have World Class reading comprehension.

That's OK; I wasn't a world-class piano student, either!

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 9:45 pm

Doc wrote:Please accept my humble apology. If I had read correctly, I wouldn't have even posted. I can't teach piano, so the point is moot. Sorry, but I have those "dumbass moments" occasionally. I beg your indulgence...

You got it. After the way this thread tangled itself, it's now my turn to buy the brats and beer!

'Tis the season for indulgence, burp, blat, fart and belch, tra la, la, brrrrrrraaahhhh....

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:16 pm

Depends on you and on the teacher. When I had a teaching studio, some of the students gave me little gifts, but I don't remember monetary gifts. If you go for the gift, make sure it is useable by the teacher. Like, I am allergic to scents and don't eat sugar, so the bath powder went in the trash and the cookies went to my roommate. Money would have been much more appreciated at that time of my life.

Oh, and it's at least $30 an hour here in Tucson for lessons. Maybe not for little kids' piano lessons, but for lessons from a competent pro on a brass instrument.

MA

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